Home Health & Hospice Week

While the OSHA vaccination mandate rule seems to have failed, calls for voluntary compliance with vaccination requirements abound.

“Vaccine requirements work. They save lives. They are common sense. They are based on science,” says HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra in a release. “Right now, all across the country, many businesses and institutions have already begun implementing vaccine requirements, and as the President has urged, I encourage even more to do so,” Becerra says. “We all have a responsibility to protect one another and keep our communities and workplaces safe. Let’s get more people vaccinated, let’s get more people boosted, and together, we can put an end to this pandemic.”

LeadingAge President Katie Smith Sloan notes that “while mandates can sometimes make it harder for employers to keep or find qualified workers — especially as Omicron surges and workforce challenges are growing — we encourage all members, regardless of care setting or community type, to ensure staff get vaccinated. Many LeadingAge providers implemented mandates months before the federal government announced its plans, and a recent poll of our mission-driven members reveals the vast majority are ready to move forward on the CMS healthcare worker mandates,” Smith Sloan says.